Although my own life might be fairly characterized, alternately, as a TV drama with very little suspense, as a boring reality show, or as a sitcom, none of these characterizations matter here. This post is not about TV.

The impetus for this post is the proliferating horde — in my unusual, Bubble-protected circle — that seem to be attracted to using this e-mail sign-off:

Blessings,

John

This “blessings” thing has bothered me ever since I saw it for the first time about 5 years ago (here in what they call “the Bubble”).

I’ve tried to put the bother out of my mind, thinking I’m being too literal (again) in wondering whether those who use this phrasing are trying subconsciously to appear more “Christian” than others. Might folks be presumptuous or at least glib or thoughtless in using this sign-off?

I don’t know anything about the origins of the sign-off. I don’t recall seeing it before coming to my present situation, but that could simply amount to lack of recall.

What does it mean to write “Blessings” to someone? And why haven’t I heard anyone say it out loud? Sometimes I do hear (and have even said, once in a great while) “God bless you” or “the Lord bless you.” Compared to those phrases, “Blessings” seems truncated at best, and possibly trivialized. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it uttered orally.

There is a valid sense in which I imagine the more thoughtful ones who use “Blessings” to be using it. Could they be consciously praying a specific blessing from God on the recipient of the e-mail as they sign off? Perhaps they are even more intentional than that, even: they could be thinking this: “I pray that my message to this person has been a blessing incarnate — that I have been in some way a channel for the blessing of God toward this person, and even more, that this little blessing I hope to have been may abound more and more.” Could the mere “Blessings” have an implied ellipsis ( . . . ) that indicates a consciousness of the Lord’s capability for ongoing blessing as the future moments transpire?

Over-analysis? Yeah, maybe. (I can apologize for being overzealous and potentially annoying, but not for analyzing and critiquing.)

On the positive side … an old “gospel song” (which is not in any way, shape or form a “hymn”) asks,

Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is the love of God flowing through you?
Are you telling the lost of the Savior?
Are you ready His service to do?

Is your life a channel of blessing?
Are you burdened for those that are lost?
Have you urged upon those who are straying,
The Savior Who died on the cross?

Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is it a daily telling for Him?
Have you spoken the Word of salvation
To those who are dying in sin?

We cannot be channels of blessing
If our lives are not free from known sin;
We will barriers be and a hindrance
To those we are trying to win.

Finally, the refrain invites prayer:

Make me a channel of blessing today,
Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
Make me a channel of blessing today.

Inasmuch as You work through these human vessels, God, yes, make me a vehicle for blessing others.

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2 thoughts on “Is your life a channel?”

Rachel09/08/2012 / 9:22 am

Thank you for vocalizing thoughts on the whole “Blessings” e-mail signature thing. Would you believe I’ve actually thought fleeting thoughts, after seeing one of these, such as… “Wow – she sounds very Christian…” and “Does it mean I’m not as good of a Christian because I don’t sign with potentially-God-infused signatures?” and “Should I do that?” I always came to the conclusion that I’ve not been particularly fond of it, though I couldn’t ever put my finger on why.

I completely resonate with those “fleeting thoughts.” And I couldn’t put my finger on it for years, and then finally tried to get some thoughts on this “out there,” although I’m not sure to what effect! 🙂